Starting next week, federal law will require airlines to document the number of animals that perish on their flights. Cargo holds aren't as luxurious as first class, and dogs and cats--through extreme cold or a lack of pressurization--occassionally die in flight. On the surface, the new law may seem like a common sense measure to provide consumers with product information allowing them to make informed choices. There's another side to the law, though. "Be careful what you wish for," David Stempler, president of the Airline Travelers Association, told the Associated Press. "Some carriers might do what Southwest does, which is not carry pets at all." All laws have unexpected consequences. Some landowners discovering a protected species on their property, for example, prefer to kill it rather than deal with the ensuing hassle from the government. Certainly the intent of the authors of laws protecting endangered species was not the killing of a protected species, but in some cases, that's the effect of the law. The result of the law forcing airlines to maintain mortality records on animal passengers may be fewer carriers allowing pets on flights. Is this the intent of Congress?

This sort of thing is a problem most likely better solved by the market than the law.

Great post. Every law and regulation has benefits and costs coming with it. Liberals often tend to only emphasize benefits, and never costs of regulation. This is a perfect example of what regulation will do to remove choice from the market place to the detriment of consumers.

This would not be a problem on my home planet. On my home planet Cornelius and Dr.Xeus would take very good came of me. There isn't much regulation and red tape on THE PLANET OF THE APES

What you say is true Sarge. But, I think the author's posting is "hidesously-cat and dog" centric. There is under-representation in his hyperlinks of other animal species native to the African continent, and something needs to be done about cat and dog-privilege. If we are going to change the West's perception of African animals, blog postings like this are the perfect opportunity to do something for African animals self-esteem.

Indeed, Lonely Wildebeast. Here, we have a sterling example of speciesism.

You mammalian land-dwelling mobilians just don't get me started! You think you have it bad? I'm stuck here under water waiting for something edible to float by. I'm the true victim here, so just button it.

I think all officers of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) should have to disclose whether they've ever flown a pet on an airplane's cargo hold.

haha Actually -- Peta is against owning pets, period. The loons.

A recent PETA protest has their activists lying naked in human scale styrofoam and cellophane which resemble supermarket meat packaging - to suggest that eating animals is as barbaric as eating people.... Would that a late-night talk show compiled a list of "Stupid PETA Tricks".